Mobile workholder with loading device



April 30,-1957 s. H. JUDKINS 2,790,232

MOBILE WORKHOLDER WITH LOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 1o, 1sss 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 //Vl E/VT0/ GEORGE JUDK/NS April 30, 1957 s. H. JUDKINS 2,790,232

MOBILE WORKHOLDER WITH LOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 //V 1 15 N T 0/? GEORGE H. JUD-Kl/VS April 30, 1957 v 2. H. JUDKINS 2,790,232

MOBILE WORKHOLDER WITH LOADING DEVICE Filed Oct. 10, 1955 3 Sheets-Shut 3 477' IVE) United States Patent 6 2,7 90,232 MOBILE WORKHOLDER WITH LOADING DEVECE George H. Judkins, Berwyn, 111., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 10, 1955, SerialNo. 539,569 1 Claim. (Cl. 29-289) This invention relates to a mobile workholder. More in particular this invention relates to a mobile workholder adapted to support a large heavy internal combustion engine so that the various parts of the'engine are easily accessible.

It is often desirable to mount or position on a workholder a heavy engine for service repairs or inspection so that its various parts such as the flywheel, crankshaft, camshaft, head, pistons, etc., may be removed without shifting its position. Furthermore, it is equally desirable that in the operation of mounting the engine on the workholder it be unnecessary to remove accessory parts such as the fan, generator, pumps, manifolds, etc. One of the chief difficulties in the known designs of such workholders is in the operation of lifting and placing the engine on the workholder in the desired position without damage to the accessory parts of the engine in particular. It is therefore a prime object of this invention to provide means including a detachable bail member for positioning and transferring the weight of an engine from lifting hoists to a workholder easily and without damage to the various parts of the engine.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means for supporting an engine and rotating or tilting same without employing lifting connections to the crankshaft or adjacent portions thereto at either end of the engine.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a mobile Workholder for supporting an engine adapted for use without first removing the engines accessory parts.

A still further object of this invention is to provide means for simultaneously lifting and pivotally rotating an engine to position same upon a mobile workholder.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of the preferred form of the invention, the appended claim, and illustrated in the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the workholder illustrating the bail member in attached position and the pivoted cradle in a horizontal position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the vertical plane 2-2 of Figure 1 showing the construction and position of one supporting member for the lower portion of the engine block.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the vertical plane 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the construction and position of one supporting member for the upper portion of the engine block and its associated link adapted for con nection to a head bolt of said engine.

Figure 4 is an endview of the workholder illustrating the connections ofthe cradle to the engine made preliminary to the workholder assuming support of the said engine.

Figure 5 is an end view of the workholder similar to Figure 4 except that the engine is supported by the work holder and the bail member removed.

Figure 6 is a side view of the workholder supporting an engine, said side view illustrating the upper portion or head of the engine so supported;

2,790,232 Patented Apr. 30, 1957 Figure 7 is an end view similar to Figure 5 except that the cradle is adjusted in a tilted position to facilitate working on the lower portion of the engine.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figures 1 and 4 it will be seen that the workholder is a combination of three basic structures. The first is a base or frame generally indicated at 10, secondly-a cradle generally indicated at 11 pivotally mounted on the base 10, and thirdly a bail member generally indicated at 12 pivotally mounted on the frame 10.

The frame 10 may be suitably made by welding a pair of angle irons 13 and 14 laterally spaced to a pair of angle irons 15 and 16 laterally spaced to form substantially a rectangle. However, the angle irons 15 and 16 are extended laterally with respect to the angle iron 13 to provide protruding portions 17 and 18 of the irons 15 and 16, respectively, for a purpose discussed later.

At the juncture of angle irons 13 and 15 an upward extending cornice 19 is welded to the irons 13 and 15. The cornice 19 may conveniently be formed by a pair of steelplates 20 and 21 welded together at right angles as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. Similarly at the juncture of angle irons 13 and 16 an upward extendingcornice 22 is Welded to the irons 13 and 16. The cornice 22 may conveniently be formed by a pair of steel plates 23 and 24 welded together at right angles. The upper portion of the plate 21 is provided with a bore 25. Similarly the upper portion of plate 23 is provided with a bore 26, in axial alignment with the bore 25. Through the bores 25 and 26 is disposed a rod 27 which may be journalled for rotation in said bores. However, at this point it should be understood that the rod 27 may be rigidly connected to the plates 21 and 23 as it is immaterial whether the rod 27 is rotatable or stationary.

9n the angle iron 15 adjacent to its juncture with angle iron 14 is a bifurcated lug 28 welded rigidly thereto as best shown in Figures 1 and 3. The lug 28 is provided with a, longitudinally extending bore 29 adapted to accommodate a short pin 30 extending through the bifurcated lug 28 for a purpose to be discussed later. Similarly on the angle iron16 adjacent to its juncture with angle iron 14 is a bifurcated lug 31 welded rigidly thereto as best shown in Figures 1, 4, 5 and 6. The lug 31 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 32 in axial alignment with bore 29 of lug 28 and is adapted to accommodate a short pin 33 for a purpose to be described later.

In order to provide for mobility of the workholder, at the ends of the angle irons 15 and 16, on the underside thereof, are mounted supporting wheels in a conventional manner as generally indicated at 3:4, 35, 36 and 37. For convenience and ease of mobility it is suggested that at least two ofthe supporting wheels such as 34 and 35 be of the commonly known castoring type while the remaining wheels may be of the non-castoring type such as 36 and 37.

The cradle 11 is pivotally mounted for movement in a vertical plane about the axis of the rod 27. The struc-' rod 27 and adapted for registry with bore 22 of the lug 28. The other end portion of the beam 38 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore coextensive with bore 25 adapted for pivotal connection to one end portion of the rod 27. Oppositely disposed in parallel spaced relation to the beam 33 is a beam 44 welded-at one end to an irregularshaped plate 41 as best shown in Figures l, 3 and 4. The-plate 41 is provided-with a'plurality of bores 42 spaced arcuately equidistant from the axis of rod 27 and adapted for registry with the bore 32 of lug 31 and in axial alignment with corresponding bores 40 of the plate 39. The other end portion of the beam 44 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore coextensive with bore 26 adapted for pivotal connection to the other end portion of rod 27.

In order to provide rigidity to the cradle 11, a longitudinallyextending beam 43 is welded at the ends thereof respectively tothe plates 39 and 41 as best shown in Figures 1 and 6.

From the foregoing it can readily be seen that the cradle 11 is rockable in a vertical plane about the axis of the rod 27. The plates 39 and 41 are in alignment so that during the rocking movement of the cradle 11 the plates pass between the bifurcations of the lugs 28 and 31, respectively. Thus the cradle 11 may be rigidly secured in various positions to the frame by inserting short pins and 33 through the bores 25 and 26 of lugs 28 and 31 and corresponding bores or stop elements and 42 of the plates 3? and 41,respectively, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 7.

In order to support an internal combustion engine or other load the cradle 11 is provided with four upward extending support members generally indicated at 44, 45, 46 and 47 of Figure 1. The member 44 may be comprised of an upward extending element 48 welded at the lower end thereof to the end portion of the beam 38 as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper end portion of the element 48 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore 49. A seat 5i which may conveniently be made of a block of wood, is provided with a curved surface 51 adapted to engage the under surface of an engine or other load. The seat 56 is removable, as hereinafter discussed, so that wood blocks having different curved surfaces for adaptation to difierent engines may be interchangeably provided. The seat 50 is mounted on an angle iron 52. The angle iron 52 is positional parallel to the beam 38 and is welded rigidly to the element 48. The angle iron 52 is provided with a plurality of bores 53 one of which is adapated for registry with bore 49 of element 48. The seat 50 is rigidly connected to the element 48 and angle iron 52 by a plurality of bolts 54 extending longitudinally through the bores 49 and the seat 59 as bestillustrated in Figure 1.

A longitudinally extending bar 55 is welded to the upper portion of the element 48 and the end portion of the angle iron 52. A plurality of bolts 56 extending laterally through bores in the bar 55 and through the wooden seat 59 are provided to increase the stability of rigidity of the seat Sii. A bracket 57 may be inserted as shown in Figure 2. for protecting from damagethe wooden seat 5% during loading or unloading operations of the workholder. Of course the bracket 57 may be extended upwardly and provided with means (not shown) such as bolts, for engagement or fastening to the engine or load. The support member 47 is constructed similar to the member 44 and is positioned on the cradle 11 as shown in Figure 1.

The support member is comprised of a pair of upwardly extending angle irons 53 welded to or bolted to the upper portion of the inner side of the plate 39 in parallel spaced relation. As shown in Figures 1 and 3 suitable bores in the plate 39 and the angle irons 58 are rigidly connected together by the bolts 59. A seat 60, which can be made conveniently from a block of Wood, is mounted on and rigidly connected to the angle irons 58 by means of a pair of bolts 61 extendinglongitudinally through suitably disposed bores in the upper portion of the angle irons 58 and the lower portion of the wooden seat 59. Although not shown in the drawings, the wooden seat 60 may be lengthened downwardly to rest on the beam 43. The upper surface 62 of the seat 60 is cut to fit the contour of the engine or load placed on the workholder. Similar as in the case of the seat 50, the seat 60 is removable so that wood blocks -ing two units on each bolt.

4 having diiferent upper surfaces 62 for adaptation to different engines may be interchangeably provided.

In order to connect the cradle 11 with the engine an L-shaped bracket 63 is rigidly connected to an outer side of angle irons 58 laterally by means of bolts 61 us- The upwardly extending leg 64 of the bracket 63 may be conveniently provided with a plurality of laterally extending bores one of which is at 65 as best shown in Figures 1 and 3. The bore is adapted for convenient connection to the workload as will be discussed later. The support member 46 is constructed similar to the member 45 and is positioned on the cradle 11 as shown in Figure l.

The removable bail member 12 is adapted to support the engine or workload during the operation of loading or unloading the workholder. The bail member 12 is comprised of a pair of laterally extending parallel disposed channel beams 66 and 67 welded rigidly to longitudinally extending cross beam 68. In order to provide additional rigidity to the member 12 a second cross beam 69 is welded to the channel beams 67 and 66 parallel to and in spaced relation to the cross beam 68. On the opposite end of the channel beam 66 an angle iron 70 is welded at an upward angle 30 to 45 with respect to the plane formed by channel beam 66. Welded to the upper end of the angle iron 70 is a hook-shaped member 71 adapted for engaging pivotally the rod 27 in a detachable relation as shown in Figure 1.

Along the inner side of sloped angle iron 70 as shown in Figure 1 is a notched plate 72 welded rigidly thereto and positioned so that if the bail member 12 is pivoted about the rod 27 the notch 73 of the notched plate 72 engages the underside and outerside of the bracket 57 for a purpose described later. The opposite side of the bail member 12 contiguous to the channel beam 67 is constructed similarly to that first described and further discussion thereof is deemed unnecessary.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 4, an eye member 74 is welded to the center portion of the channelv beam 68 which eye serves as a means for attaching the hook 75 of a hoisting device (not shown) to the bail member 12. Thus the elevating of the hook 75 causes pivotal rotation of the bail member 12 about the rod 27 as best shown in Figure 4.

Operation Large internal combustion engines such as that generally indicated at '78 are usually provided with means for attaching a hook 76 of a large hoisting device (not shown). A commonly used means is to provide in the upper portion of the engine block a threaded bore adapted for receiving in rigid relation 21 large eye 77 .as shown in Figure 4. The engine 78 is first suspended by the large hoisting device associated with the hook 76 and large eye 77. The mobile workholder is then, by means of the wheels 34, 35, 36 and 37, moved into position with respect to the engine '78 as shown in Figure 4. The cradle 11 is then rotated about the rod 27 to a vertical position whereby the four supporting members 44, 45, 46 and 47 engage the upper and lower sides of the block of engine 78. The nuts of a pair of head bolts 79 of the engine 78 are removed and the bores 65 of the two L-shaped brackets 63 are inserted over the studs of the bolts 79 and the nuts replaced thus securing the L-shaped brackets 63 to the engine 78. The bolts 61 are then inserted and tightened. The brackets 63 are placed on the bolts 61 over the first nuts and second nuts inserted and tightened to secure both the brackets '63. Thus the engine 78 is secured to the cradle 11.

Next the hoisting device (not shown) associated with the hook 75 is attached to the eye 74 of the bail mem-- ber 12. By referring to Figure 4 it can be seen that the wheels 34 and 37 are offset outwardly with respect to the vertical plane formed by the axis of the rod 27. Thus a downward force applied to the rod 27'does not result in a tendency to tilt the frame 10 pivotally about the wheels 34 and 37 and therefore a load applied to the rod 27 will not cause the wheels 35 and 36 to elevate from the floor 80.

Now by elevating the book 75 the bail member 12 engages the underside of the engine and the notched plates 72 engages the brackets 57. The elevation of the hook 75 imparts a rotative movement in a clockwise direction of the engine 78 secured to the cradle 11. Simultaneously with the progressive elevation of the hook 75 the large hoisting device associated with the hook 76 is progressively relaxed so that the cradle 11 and the engine 78 rotates about the rod 27 until the selected corresponding bores 48 and 42 of respective plates 39 and 41 are in registry with the bores 29 and 32 of the respective lugs 28 and 31. Thus short pin 30 is then inserted through the bore 29 and one of the bores 40. Similarly the short pin 33 is then inserted through the bore 32 and the corresponding bore 42 of the plate 41. The engine 78 and cradle 11 are now rigidly connected to the frame 10 in either a horizontal position as shown in Figures 5 and 6 or a selectively inclined position as illustrated in Figure 7.

The hook 76 is then removed and after the bail member 12 is lowered to the floor as shown in Figure 1 the hook 75 may be removed. The hook-shaped members 71 of the bail member 12 are disengaged from the rod 27 and the bail member 12 is removed.

At this time the weight of the engine 78 is disposed entirely upon the support members 44, 45, 46 and 47. The nuts of the head bolts 79 are removed and the outer nuts of the bolts 61 are removed whereby the two L-shaped brackets 63 may be detached.

The workholder having the engine 78 resting thereon may be moved to a desired location by rolling on the wheels 34, 35, 35 and 37 and is ready for mechanics work on the engine 78. After the completion of the work on the engine 78 its removal from the workholder may be ac complished by performing the operations above described except in reverse order.

From Figures 5, 6 and 7 it should be noted that all of the internal parts of the engine are easily and conveniently accessible. Both the head and crankcase portions of the engine are completely exposed and unobstructed as well as the front end engine assembly and rear end clutch assembly. Thus much time and labor costs are saved not only in servicing the engine 78 but also in the loading and unloading operations of the workholder.

Having thus described an embodiment of the invention, it can now be seen that the objects of the invention have been fully achieved and it must be understood that changes and modifications may be made which do not depart from the spirit of the invention as disclosed now from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A mobile workholder with loading device comprising a frame, said frame having supporting wheels mounted on the underside thereof, a cradle pivotally mounted on one end portion of said frame for arcuate movement thereof in a vertical plane with respect to said frame, a plurality of stop elements mounted on said cradle adapted for engagement with the other end portion of said frame for adjustably positioning said cradle with reference to said frame, said cradle being adapted to support a workload, said cradle having a plurality of support members adapted for connection to said workload, a removable bail member pivotally mounted on said frame for arcuate movement thereof in an axis coinciding with the pivotal axis of the said arcuately movable cradle, said bail member extending outwardly from said one end portion of said' frame and being adapted to engage said Workload for transfer thereof onto said cradle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,559,028 Oberwegner July 3, 1951 

